Apparatus for packaging flat flexible articles



Jan. 20, 1959 R. F. SCOTT 2,869,302

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING FLAT FLEXIBLE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 26, 1956- 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATT'Y Jan. 20, 1959 R. F. SCOTT 2,869,302

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING FLAT FLEXIBLE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 26, 1956 Y 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

ROBERT F. SCOTT ATT'Y Jan. '20, 1959 R. F. SCOTT 2,869,302

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING FLAT FLEXIBLE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 26, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

ROBERT F. SCOTT ATT'Y Jan. 20, 1959 Filed Dec. 26, 1956 we H R. F. SCOTT 2,869,302

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING FLAT FLEXIBLE ARTICLES 4 SheetsSheet 4 FIG. 9. 442

a 4 A O FIG. IO. /,.|42 7 /"|62 2|4 /I4O 2|O INVENTOR.

ROBERT F. SCOTT ATT'Y APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING FLAT FLEXHBLE ARTICLES Robert F. Scott, Terre Haute, ind.

Application December 26, 1956, Serial No. 639,676

17 Claims. ((31. 53-255) The improved packaging apparatus comprising the present invention has been designed for use primarily in connection with the insertion of sheets of cardboard or the like, on which strips or slices of bacon are positioned in shingled relationship, into paper, cellophane or other transparent bags or envelopes. The invention is, how ever, capable of other uses and the same may, if desired, be employed for thus packaging other flat flexible articles. Irrespective however of the particular use to which the present invention may be put, the essential features thereof are at all times preserved.

Cardboard-mounted bacon slices of the character set forth above are known in the trade as sheets of bacon and, in the packaging of such sheets in transparent envelopes, it has been necessary for the operator to spread the envelopes to its open condition with one hand while bending the sheet of bacon with the other hand to diminish its overall dimensions so that it may enter without obstruction the mouth of the envelope. Afcr such manual insertion of the sheet into the envelope, it is necessary to again straighten the envelope and its contents by hand and adjust the flattened sheet within the envelope to obtain an eifective display of the bacon slices. Obviously such a procedure has been costly and, in an effort to minimize the number of manual operations necessary to produce a properly packaged and attractive display, various arbor devices of funnel-like design and funnel-like in their function have been designed to assist the operator in spreading the mouth of the envelope and in bending or curling the bacon sheet for easy entry into the open mouth.

The use of such arbor devices has not altogether relieved the operator of intricate manipulations inasmuch as the handling of the arbor itself involves manual opera:

The present invention is designed to overcome the above noted limitations that are attendant upon the packaging of cardboard-mounted shingled bacon slices and, toward this end, it contemplates the provision of a semi-automatic apparatus wherein the envelopes in which the bacon sheets are individually packaged are arranged in stacked relationship and are successively presented, one at a time, in an expanded or spread-open condition to a funnel-like arbor through which the bacon sheet may manually be forced or pushed and which functions to bend or curl the sheet and guide the same into the open mouth of the envelope. The arbor is movable in reciprocal fashion in a linear path and it is operable under the control of an air cylinder assembly, the operation of which is, in turn, controlled by a manually operable valve assembly. In its normal position of rest, the arbor underlies the stack of envelopes with its forward end region received within an envelope so that it spreads the mouth of the envelope preparatory to reception in the latter of a bacon sheet. In this position, the operator may force a sheet of bacon through the arbor and into the envelope with a single unidirectional motion of the hand, during which motion the leading edge of the sheet ultimately engages the closed bottom of the envelope which, under the consequent impact, causes the filled envelope to be stripped from the stack and discharged on a suitable ramp from the conveyor under the influence of gravity.

An important feature of the present invention, and indeed a time saving one, resides in the provision of an operating knob on the control valve for the air cylinder which eiiects the movements of the arbor and which knob is positioned directly in the path of movement of the op erators hand during manual introduction of the bacon sheet into and through the arbor and into the envelope. Specifically, the control knob is positioned at the end of the manual stroke where the striking thereof is purely' an automatic one that can scarcely be avoided and the pneumatic circuit arrangement of the apparatus is such that when the control knob is thus struck, the knob is depressed and the cylinder is actuated to force the arbor carriage and arbor to a retracted position wherein it clears the trailing edge of a succeeding envelope in the stack and to immediately restore the arbor to its normal advanced position wherein it enters the mouth of such envelope preparatory to the next inserting operation or machine cycle. Restoration of the control knob to its normal position is likewise an automatic function of the pneumatic control system and takes place at the end of each machine cycle.

The provision of a semi-automatic packaging apparatus of the character briefly outlined above being among the principal objects of the invention, another and important object is to provide such an apparatus wherein the arbor proper is replaceable and the package guiding means is adjustable to accommodate the packaging of articles which differ in width, extent, or both.

A further object of the invention is to provide a packaging machine of this sort wherein the arbor proper and the reciprocable arbor-supporting carriage are designed with cleaance spaces which not only enable the operator to conveniently perform the necessary manipulation of the bacon sheet through the arbor and into the envelope, but which further affords a safeguard against contact of the hand or clothing of the operator with any portion of the arbor or its carriage during the relatively rapid return stroke thereof, even if the operator inadvertently fails to Withdraw his hand from the general vicinity of the path of movement of the carriage.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a packaging machine having means associated therewith which operates upon the stack of envelopes in which the sheets of bacon are packaged to retain the envelopes of the stack in their compact stacked relationship while at the same time causing the lowermost envelope in the stack to assume a normal partially spread condition to facilitate reception therein of the envelope-filling arbor preparatory to initiation of each packaging operation or ma chine cycle.

The provision of a packaging apparatus which is relatively simple in its construction and efficient in its operation; one which is comprised of a minimum number of moving parts and which therefore is unlikely to get out of order; one which is rugged and durable and which therefore is possessed of a relatively long life and requires but little care and attention; one which is attractive in its appearance and pleasing in its design; one which aeeaeoa may easily be loaded and reloaded with packaging envelopes: one which requires no oiling or other lubrication for its efiicient continued operation so that the danger of food contamination with hydrocarbon or other lubrieating fluid is completely eliminated, and one which, otherwise is well adapted to perform the services required of it, are further desiderata which have been borne in mind in the production and development of the present invention.

With these and other objects in view, which will become more readily apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying four sheets of drawing forming a part of this specification.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a packaging apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the structure shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6a is a fragmentary detail view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a reciprocable arbor carriage assembly employed in connection with the invention;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 8 8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a schematic view showing the pneumatic circuits associated with the apparatus when the operative parts thereof are in their normal positions; and

Fig. 10 is a schematic view similar to Fig. 9 showing the pneumatic circuitry when the parts are in mid-cycle positions.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and in particular to Figs. 1 and 3, the apparatus involves in its general organization a stationary framework including a pair of spaced upstanding side members or plates 10 and 12 having laterally turned flanges 14 extending along their lower edges which are drilled as at 15 (Fig. 4) for reception therethrough of attachment screws 16 by means of which the entire framework may be attached to and supported on a table surface 16 or the like. Extending between the side plates 10 and 12 and serving to maintain the same in their spaced parallel relationship is a transverse strut 18 of generally channel-shape design and having end flanges 2t) welded or otherwise secured to the inner faces of the upright plates 10 and 12. The strut 18 also serves the function of supporting in its operative relationship a control valve assembly 22, the nature and function of which will be made clear subsequently.

The side plates 10 and 12 are identical in their contour except for the direction of extent of the attachment flanges 14, and each is formed with a short vertical front edge portion 24, a relatively sharply inclined front upper edge portion 26, a more gradually inclined intermediate upper edge portion 28, a vertical intermediate forward edge portion 36, a rounded pinnacle 32, an inclined rear edge portion 34, and a relatively long vertical rear edge portion 36. Following the contours of the plates 19 and 12 respectively along the edge portions 26 and 28, and bridging the distance therebetween, is a dischargeramp 38 for the packaged articles or sheets of bacon, the ramp having a lower inclined portion 40 and an upper inclined portion 42 which merges therewith along a division line 44. The ramp 38 is formed with downwardly'turned attachment flanges 46 which are welded or otherwise secured to the inner opposed faces of the side plates 10 and 12 respectively. I

Adjustably secured to the upper face of the inclined portion by means of pin and slot connections 43 are a pair of guide plates 50 having attachment flanges 52 and vertical sides 54 each having the configuration of a trapezium and which are adjustable toward and away from each other to accommodate disposition therebetween of stacks of cellophane or other transparent plastic flat bags or envelopes of different widths and in which bags the bacon sheets are adapted to be packaged. Such a stack has been shown in Fig. l and designated in its entirety at 5 while the individual envelopes are designated at 56. The envelopes 56 are of the conventional type commonly employed for packaging bacon sheets and each is in the form of a bag-like structure having a relatively long front side 58 (Fig. 6) and a relatively short rear side 69, the cardboard-mounted shingled bacon, when packaged within the envelope, being visible through the transparent front side of the envelope. The two sides 58 and 60 present therebetween a filling'opening 62 through which the bacon sheets (not shown herein) are adapted to be manually inserted during each filling operation when carried out during the operation of the present apparatus.

The free edge regions of the front sides 58 (which for conformity of terminology Will be referred to herein as the top regions) of the envelopes 56 in the stack S are gripped and clamped together as at 64 (Fig. 6) between a gravitational weight member 66 and a supporting shelf 68 formed on a supporting bracket 70 which extends transversely across the apparatus between the upper tapered wing portions or extensions 72 of the side plates 1t) and 12 which exist by virtue of the relatively inclined edges 39 and 34. The bracket 70 is in the form of a flat sheet '74, positioned at a slight incline with respect to the vertical, and having laterally turned end flanges 76 which may be bolted as at '78 or otherwise secured to the inner opposed faces of the extensions 72. Extending downwardly from the upper edge of the sheet 74 and medially of the latter is a slot 80 which projects to a region adjacent the bottom edge of the sheet. Centered below the slot 80 is a forwardly and downwardly extending flange 82 affording the previously mentioned shelf surface 68.

The slot 80 constitutes a guideway for constraining the raising and lowering movements of the weight member 66, the latter being in the form of a steel block, preferably chrome plated, of appreciable height and generally rectangular in transverse cross section. The opposite sides of the weight member 66 are formed with longitudinal slots 84 therein each of which constitutes an individual guideway for reception therein of one edge of the slot 85 provided in the plate 74'. The weight member 66 is formed with a central longitudinal bore 86 therein which is telescopically received over an upstanding hardened steel pin 83 which is secured to and projects upwardly from the medial regions of the shelf surface 68 in parallelism with the plane of the plate 74. The pin 88 constitutes an anchoring means for the upper ends of the envelopes so that the stacked envelopes may be maintained in their stacked condition with the upper end of the lowermost envelope in the stack resting upon the shelf surface 68. Accordingly, each envelope is formed with a small hole 89 therein near the top of the upper side 58 thereof, the various holes being aligned in the stack S and receiving therethrough the pin 88 with the weight member 66 resting by gravity upon the uppermost envelope in the stack. According to the present invention, means are provided for successively spreading the open mouth or filling opening 62 of the lowermost envelope in the stack S to facilitate insertion into the envelope of a sheet of bacon, the insertion in the present illustrated form of the invention being carried out manually in such a manner that the sheet of bacon is caused to be bodily projected into the envelope so that its forward edge forcibly strikes the bottom of the envelope and strips the envelope bodily from the retaining pin 38 whereupon the filled envelope is deposited upon the slide 38 and conducted under the influence of gravity to a region of discharge. Automatic means for feeding the bacon sheets into the envelopes are contemplated in connection with a fully automatic, cyclically operable machine. However, whether the machine is designed for fully automatic operation, or semi-automatic operation as illustrated herein, the essential features thereof are at all times preserved.

The underneath side of the weight member 66 is generally inclined as at @9, is formed with a cut-away portion or recess 92 at the rear thereof, and has a forward downwardly projecting extension 94 which constitutes a thrust finger and performs a function that will be made clearpresently. The inclination of the underneath surface 90 of the weight member 66 is substantially the same as the inclination of the shelf surface 68 and the downwardly projecting extension or finger 94 is positioned slightly forwardly of the front edge of the shelf surface 68 as best seen in Figs. 6 and 6a so that when the inclined underneath surface 96 of the weight member rests upon the upper side of the uppermost envelope 56 in the stack S, the downwardly projecting finger 94 will exert a downward thrust on the stack as a whole and deform or distort the envelopes thereof, the distortion carrying completely through the stack and affecting the lowermost envelope 56 therein so as to spring the mouth or opening 62 thereof, so to speak, to a partially open position preparatory to reception therein of an envelope spreader member of arbor 96, a portion of which appears in Fig. 6a and the nature of which will be made clear presently. With the stack in position beneath the weight member 66 and supported on the shelf surface 82 at the upper end thereof and with the pin 88 passing through the various holes 89 in the individual envelopes 56, the stack will assume a normal position or condition wherein it is flexed downwardly below the level of the shelf surface 82 so that the medial regions of the lowermost envelope 56 come to rest on the inclined supporting surface 42 of the ramp 38 while its lower side 60 sags below the level of the upper edge of the upper side 58 to cause unassisted and inherent partial spreading of the filling opening 62, which spreading is adaptedto be augmented during each filling operation by the spreading action of the arbor 96 in a manner that will now be set forth in detail.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 6 and 7, a reciprocable arbor carriage assembly 100 including a slide member or yoke and an arbor proper 104 underlies the stack supporting instrumentalities and is movable in the general direction of the inclined plane of the envelope-supporting shelf surface 68 between a normal lowered position wherein the forward regions of the arbor 1114 is projected into the mouth 62 of the lowermost envelope 55 in the stack and spreads the same apart to facilitate filling of the envelope, to a raised advanced position wherein the extreme forward edge of the arbor clears the top edge of the lower side 60 of the lowermost envelope 56 in the stack so that upon the next succeeding downward stroke of the assembly 100, the arbor 104 will be again projected into the lowermost envelope which has displaced a previously filled envelope.

The yoke 102 is in the form of a generally fiat casting having thickened reinforcing ribs 1% along the side margins and having weight-reducing perforations 198 formed in the body portion thereof. The rear or upper region of the yoke is recessed to provide a pair of rearwardly extending yoke arms 110 and a reinforcing rib 11?; extends around the rim of the semi-elliptical recess which separates the arms 116. Each yoke arm 11% is formed at its free end with an upstanding attachment lug 11d, the two lugs serving as a support for the arbor proper 1%, the latter being supported from the lugs in an elevated position above the yoke 102 by means of straps 116 (see ft also Fig. 3} which are secured by means of studs 118 to the lugs 114 and the inturned ends of which are welded to the arbor 104. The arbor 104 is thus replaceable for purposes of replacement or substitution.

The arbor 104 is in the form of a sheet metal member or chute of generally funnelor horn-shape design and having a flat relatively narrow forward base portion 120.

from which there projects upwardly and rearwardly a pair of side wings 122 which diverge slightly and are of generally inwardly curled configuration as best seen in Fig. 7. The rear end region of the base portion 120 is slotted as at 124 near the base regions of the wings 122 to provide a clearance space for the fingers of the operator during filling of the envelopes 56 as will become clear presently. The extreme forward edge of the base portion 129 of the arbor 104 is curved as at 126 to facilitate entry of the arbor into the filling openings 62 of the various envelopes 56.

The reciprocable arbor carriage assembly 160 is guided in its linear path of movement by means of guideways 123 (Figs. 6 and 7) provided in a pair of channel members 130 which are welded in opposition to each other on the opposed inner faces of the side plates 1t and 12 respectively and which assume the same inclination as that of the envelope-supporting shelf surface 68. side edges of the yoke or slide member 102 have formed thereon bosses 132 to which are anchored by means of fastening screws 134, guide blocks 136 which are preferably formed of the polytetrafiuor thylene polymer known as Teflon and which is manufactured as described in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, vol. 38,

page 870, September 1946, and sold by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. under the trade name Teflon. This material is remarkable in many respects, its principal virtue industrially being its chemical inertness which, however, has no bearing upon its use in the present instance as a guide block material. Such a use is predicated upon fact that Teflon is a tough waxy solid which is highly resistant to abrasion and with good tensile strength and resistance to compressional forces, as well as being slippery to the touch so that even in the absence of a lubricant it possesses an extremely low coeflicient of both static and running friction with respect to other materials, and particularly to metal. Physically, as a guide block material, Teflon leaves nothing to be desired and its use herein is predicated upon the physical characteristics outlined above.

The guide blocks are disposed within the guideways 128 and are thus slidable along the longitudinal extent of the channel members and serve to support the entire carriage assembly and constrain the same to move in its inclined reciprocal path of travel. The reciprocal movements of the arbor assembly 160 are controlled by means of a piston and cylinder assembly 140 (Figs. 2 and 6) which is pneumatically operable under the control of the previously mentioned valve assembly 22.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 6 the cylinder assembly 140 is operatively disposed beneath the slide 38 between the side plates 10 and 12 and, as shown in Fig. 4, is supported on the inner face of the side plate It}. The assembly 140 involves in its general organization a cylinder proper 142 which assumes the general inclination of the path of movement of the reciprocable arbor carriage assembly 100 as determined by the inclination of the guide channels and the lower end of the cylinder is closed by cylinder head 144 of generally semicircular configuration in transverse cross section and the flat face 146 of which is secured to the inside face of the plate It by means of fastening studs 148. The cylinder assembly further includes an upper cylinder head 15% and an intermediate cylinder port head 152, both being of similar semi-circular transverse configuration and being similarly secured to the plate It? by fastening studs 148. The cylinder proper 142 projects through the intermediate head 152 and projects at its opposite The ends into the heads 144 and 159 respectively. A plurality of tie rod assemblies 153 serve to maintain the various heads 144, 15,6 and 152 in their proper spaced relationship. Slidably disposed within the cylinder 142 is a piston 154 which may be formed of Teflon and which has secured thereto as at 156 a piston rod or plunger 158 which projects outwardly through the upper head 150, and has its free end secured as at 169 to one of the attachment lugs 114 associated with the carriage assembly 1%. A spring 162 normally urges the piston to a lower retracted position within the cylinder 1 32.

The cylinder 14?. (Fig. 6) is provided with a series of collective ports 1114 in the medial regions thereof which communicate through the head 152 with an elbow fitting 166 (Figs. 1 and 2) which passes through the plate Ff. A second series of collective ports 16% near the but of the cylinder communicate through the head 144 with a similar elbow fitting 1'70, likewise passing through the plate 12. A bleeder port 172 near the top of the cylinder 142 communicates with the atmosphere. The ports 163 are spaced from the extreme lower end of the cylinder 142 a slight distance and a passage 174 provided in the head 14d establishes communication between the ports 168, the fitting 170 one the extreme end of the cylinder. A unidirectional valve assembly including a spring pressed ball 176 having a seat in the passage 174 allows air to flow from the fitting 17b to the end of the cylinder but prevents reverse flow thereof. A second passage 178 is formed in the head 144 and has interposed therein an adjustable needle valve assembly 189 which permits restricted fiow of air through the passage 173 in either direction.

Still referring to Fig. 6, the control valve assembly 22 is in the form of a cylindrical valve block 181 secured by screws 182 to the strut 1S and having a central bore 133 therein in which there is slidably disposed a spool valve body 13-? having enlarged ends 186 and 188 connected by a reduced stem 1%. The cylindrical bore 183 is formed with upper, lower and intermediate internal annular grooves 192, 194 and 196 respectively which constitute valve ports designed for selective communication with one another under the control of the movements of the valve body 184. The valve port 1% communicates with the atmosphere and constitutes a discharge port. The port 1% constitutes an air intake port and communicates directly with an air supply line 198 which passes through the side plate It (Fig. 3) and which has associated therewith conventional pressure regulating and indicating mechanism designated in its entirety at 1%. The port 1% communicates with an elbow fitting 2% (Fig. 6) which extends through the side plate 12. The valve block 131' is formed with a port 202 which communicates with the lowermost region of the bore 183 and also with an elbow fitting ass extending through the side plate 12. The fittings 156 and 234 are connected by a conduit or line 2% while the two fittings 17d and 2% are connected by a similar conduit or line 268. he upper end of the valve body 134 has connected thereto a valve stem 21% which projects upwardly through the top of the valve block or casing 181 and carries thereon exteriorly of the latter an operating knob or plunger 214.

The above described pneumatic circuit for the apparatus, i. e., the disposition of the various air connections which extend between the valve assembly 22 and the cylinder assembly 140, are more immediately apparent from an inspection of Figs. 9 and wherein the circuit has been more or less diagrammatically shown with the elbow or other pipe fittings omitted, with certain internal connections being shown externally for the sake of simplification, and with certain porting arrangement likewise simplified. Reference will be had to these two latter figures of the drawing for a description of the pneumatic operation of the apparatus.

As will be described when the mechanical operation of the apparatus is set forth, the plunger knob 214 is disposed in a conveniently accessible position within the apparatus where, during the normal manual functions performed by the operator, it will be struckand depressed by the hand of the operator after each inserting operation has been completed. The normal position of the knob 214, and consequently of the valve body184, is the raised position thereof wherein the ports 192 and 196 are in communication with the piston 154 assuming its retracted position under the influence of the spring 162. At this time, the intake port 194'is blocked by the spool enlargement Upon depression of the knob and release thereof by the operator, the ports 194 and 196 are brought into communication while the port 192 is blocked by the spool enlargement 186 whereupon air issuing from the supplyline 198 passes through the line 2&8 and passage 174 including the unidirectional valve device 176 and enters the extreme lower end of the cylinder 142 and forces the piston 154- upwardly within the latter. During such upward movement of the piston 154-, air is expelled from the upper region of the cylinder 14-2 through the bleeder port 172. Upward movement of the piston 154 continues until such time as the entire piston passes the intermediate port 164, at which time air, under full pressure, passes outwardly from the cylinder through this latter port and passes through the line 206 and enters the bottom region of the valve block 181 and restores the spool valve body 184- to its normal raised position within the block. Thereafter, the piston 154 is caused to descend under the influence of the spring 162 and, at the time the cylindrical wall of the piston covers the port 163, the air in the lower region of the cylinder becomes partially entrapped to provide a cushioning effect and gradually restore the piston to its fully retracted position. During such cushioning effect, air is gradually bled from the lower region of the cylinder through the passage 178 including the needle valve assembly and from thence through the port 168, line 208, and ports 1% and 192 to the atmosphere. During this time, the port 168 is covered and air is prevented from passing through the line 208 by virtue of the unidirectional device 176.

As previously explained, the normal position of the piston 154 within the cylinder 142 is the retracted position thereof and, as a consequence, the normal position of the reciprocable arbor carriage 1% is the lowered position thereof. In this position of the carriage, which is illustrated in Fig. 2, the forward region of the funnellike arbor proper 19 extends over the inclined portion 42 of the ramp and projects into the open mouth 62 (Fig. 6) of the lowermost envelope S6 in the stack S. The envelope 56 is thus partially spread open and the forward end of the arbor 1 34 partially underlies the remainder of the stack and supports the same against sagging, which is a condition of the stack that may momentarily take place periodically during each machine cycle when the arbor is in its uppermost position as shown in Fig. 6a.

In the mechanical or functional operation of the apparatus, with the arts assuming the position shown in Pig. 2 and described above, the operator will manually insert a sheet of bacon between the side wings 122 of the arbor 1M and, in so doing, the sheet will become bent progressively as it slides through the arbor and into the envelope. The clearance slot or space 124 in the arbor proper and the recess existing between the yoke arms 11h afford clearance for the fingers of the operator who may push the bacon sheet fully into the envelope until such time as the leading lower edge of the bacon sheet strikes the bottom of the envelope and applies a forward and downward thrust to the thus packaged envelope and causes the same to be stripped from the pin 88 and shelf surface 68 by rupture of the material of the envelope in the vicinity of the hole 89 (Fig. 6a); The packaged envelope, thus released from thevpin 88 may then move forwardly and downwardly on the ramp 9 surfaces 42 and 40 in the order named from whence it may be conducted from the machine on conveyor or the like (not shown) which may be associated with a stacking machine or packaging apparatus.

At the time the operator releases the bacon sheet, the operators wrist is in the immediate vicinity of the plunger knob 214 associated with the control valve assembly 22 and thus, with practically no lost motion, the knob may be struck with the same forward motion that carries the bacon sheet into the envelope. Depression of the valve body 184 in this manner causes pneumatic operation of the piston and cylinder assembly 149 as previously described to advance the piston, and consequently the arbor carriage 100 to the point wherein the extreme forward curve edge 126 clears the upper edge of the lower side 58 of the lowermost envelope in the stack 8 which has replaced the previously filled envelope. Immediately thereafter, the arbor 104 is restored to its normal lowered position wherein it enters the mouth 62 of the en velope and spreads the same preparatory to repetition of the filling process by the operator of the machine. As previously described, at the time the arbor 104 is restored to its lowered normal position, the plunger knob 214 is automatically restored to its elevated position.

In compliance with Title 35, U. S. Code, Section 112, a preferred form of the invention has been shown in the drawings and described herein, but it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts disclosed. Only insofar as the invention has particularly been pointed out in the accompanying claims is the same to be limited.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of flat flexible articles into open-ended envelopes having top and bottom sides with the upper region of the top side overlapping the upper edge of the bottom side and of substantially the same size and configuration as the articles, in combination means providing a shelf surface adapted to underlie the overlapping portions of the upper sides of the envelopes in said stack and support the same, means for clamping said overlapping portions together and against said shelf surface, a reciprocable arbor including a trailing ingress section, an intermediate section and a leading egress and envelope-spreading section arranged in substantial alignment with each other and with the normal plane of the lowermost envelope in the stack, said arbor being movable between a normal advanced position wherein said egress section is disposed I within the mouth of said lowermost envelope in spreading relation with respect to the sides thereof'and a retracted position wherein the leading edge of the latter section clears the free edge of the bottom side of said lowermost envelope, and means for reciprocating said arbor.

2. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of articles into envelopes, the combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said clamping means includes a clamping member overlying said shelf surface and bearing downwardly on the uppermost envelope in the stack and serving to compress said overlapping portions thereof together and against said shelf surface, and a protuberance formed on said clamping member forwardly of the shelf surface and depending below the normal plane of said uppermost envelope for depressing the medial regions of the stack and causing initial inherent partial spreading of the mouth of the lowermost envelope in said stack and consequent alignment of said mouth with said arbor sections.

3. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of articles into envelopes, the combination set forth in claim 2 including, additionally, an aligning and retaining pin projecting upwardly from said shelf surface through said overlapping portions of the envelopes in the stack and from which pin the envelopes are adapted to be stripped 1% by rupture of the material of the envelopes during forcible introduction of the articles into the envelopes.

4. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of articles into envelopes, the combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said clamping means includes a weight overlying said shelf surface and resting by gravity on the overlapping portion of the uppermost envelope in the stack and serving to compress all of said overlapping portions together and against said shelf surface, and a protuberance formed on said weight forwardly of the shelf surface and depending below the normal plane of said uppermost envelope for depressing the medial regions of the stack and causing initial inherent partial spreading of the mouth of the lowermost envelope in the stack and consequent alignment of the mouth with said egress section.

5. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of articles into envelopes, the combinationset forth in claim 4 wherein said weight is formed with a bore therethrough, and including, additionally, an aligning and retaining pin projecting upwardly from said shelf surface and extending into said bore and on which pin the Weight is slidable, said pin passing upwardly through said overlapping portions of the envelopes in the stack and from which pin the envelopes are adapted to be successively stripped by rupture of the material of the envelopes during forcible introduction of the articles into the envelopes.

6. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of articles into envelopes, the combination set forth in claim 1 including, additionally, an inclined ramp positioned forwardly and below the level of said path of movement of the arbor for receiving and at least partially supporting the forward regions of said stack of envelopes thereon and along which the packaged envelopes are slidable to a region of discharge.

7. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of flat flexible articles into open-ended envelopes having top and bottom sides with the upper region of the top side overlapping the upper edge of the bottom side, said envelopes being of substantially the same size and configuration as the articles, in combination, means providing a shelf surface adapted to underlie the overlapping portions of the upper sides of'the envelopes in said stack and at least partially support the same, means for clamping said overlapping portions together against said shelf surface, a reciprocable arbor including a trailing ingress section and a leading egress section having converging sides for envelope-spreading purposes, said arbor being movable between a normal advanced position wherein said egress section is disposed within the mouth of the lowermost envelope in the stack in spreading relation with respect to the sides thereof and a retracted position wherein the leading edge of said latter section clears the free edge of the bottom side of the lowermost envelope, a fluid pressure motor having a plunger movable between a retracted position and an advanced position, means normally maintaining said plunger in its extended position, said motor being operable upon admission of motive fluid thereto to move the plunger to its advanced position, means operatively connecting saidplunger and arbor in driving relationship whereby movement of the plunger to its extended position will move the arbor from its advanced position to its retracted position, a source of motive fluid for said motor, and a control valve operatively connected to the source and fluid motor and having a depressible operating knob operable upon manual depression thereof to admit motive fluid to said motor.

8. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of fiat flexible articles into open-ended envelopes having top and it 1 lapping portions together against said shelf surface, a reciprocable arbor including a trailing ingress section and a leading egress section having converging sides for envelope spreading purposes, said arbor being movable between a normal advanced position wherein said egress section is disposed within the mouth of the lowermost envelope in the stack in envelope-spreading relation and a retracted position wherein the leading edge of the latter section clears the free edge of the bottom side of the lowermost envelope, the articles being adapted to be manually forced through said arbor and into the distended lowermost envelope in the stack While the arboris in its normal advanced position by a unidirectional thrusting motion of the hand ofan operator/whereby when the article engages the bottom of the en\ elope it strips the latter from said shelf surface, a fluid pressure motor having a plunger movable between a retracted position and an advanced position, said motor being operable upon admission of motive fluid thereto to move said plunger'to its advanced position, means operatively connecting the plunger and arbor whereby movement of the plunger to its extended position will move the arbor to its retracted position, a source of motive fluid for said motor, a control valve operatively connected to said source and fluid motor and having a normally elevated but depressiblecontrol knob operable uponmanual depression thereof to admit motive fluid to said motor, and fluid actuated means operable upon movement of said plunger to its advanced position for restoring said control knob to its elevated position.

9. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of flat articles into open-ended envelopes, the combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said control valve is positioned so that the control knob is directly in said path of unidirectional motion of the operators hand.

10. in an apparatus for facilitating insertion of flat articles into open-ended envelopes, the combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said control valve is positioned so that said control knob is disposed below the level of said stack and is displaced rearwardly of the bottom of the lowermost envelope in the stack a distance substantially equal to the longitudinal extent of an article packaged in said lowermost envelope.

11. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of flat articles into open-ended envelopes, the combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said arbor is comprised of a pair of spaced side wings which converge toward each other in a forward direction and which are separated by a clearance region for said specified unidirectional thrusting motion of the hand of the operator.

12. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of flat articles into open-ended envelopes, the combination set forth in claim 8 including, additionally, a ramp positioned forwardly and below the level of said shelf surface, said ramp serving to support the downwardly sagging forward regions of the stack when said arbor is in its retracted position and also serving to receive the stripped packaged envelopes thereon for conduction thereby under the influence of gravity to a region of discharge, said arbor in its advanced position serving to lift the stack from its partially supported position on said ramp.

13. in an apparatus for facilitating insertion of fiat flexible articles into open-ended envelopes having top and bottom sides with the upper region of the top side overlapping the upper edge of the bottom side, said envelopes being of substantially the same size and configuration as the articles, in combination, means providing a shelf surface adapted to underlie the overlapping portions of the upper sides of the envelopes in said stack and at least partially support the same, means for clamping said overlapping portions together against said. shelf surface, a reciprocable arbor including a trailing ingress section and a leading egress section having converging sides for-envelope spreading purposes, said arbor being movable between a normal advanced position'wherein said egress section is disposed within the mouth. of the lowermost envelope in the stack in envelope-spreading relation and a retracted position wherein the leading edge of the latter section clears the free edgesofthe bottom ide of the lowermost envelope, the articles being adapted to be manually forced through said arbor and into the distended lowermost envelope in the stack while the arbor is in its normal advancedposition by a unidirectional thrusting motion of the hand of an operator whereby when the article engages the bottom of the envelope it strips the latter from said shelf surface, an air cylinder having a piston therein and movable between a retracted and an advanced position, a spring normally biasing said piston to its retracted position, a plunger connecting said piston and arbor whereby movement of the piston to its advanced position will extend the plunger and move the arbor to its retracted position, a source of compressed air for said cylinder, and a manually operable valve for admitting air from said source to said cylinder.

14. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of fiat articles into open-ended envelopes, the combination set forth in claim 13 wherein said cylinder is provided with pneumatically operable cushioning means for dampening the return stroke of the piston from its advanced position to its retracted position.

15. in an apparatus for-facilitating insertion of fiat articles into open-ended envelopes, the combination set forth in claim 13 including a control knob for said valve movable from a raised position wherein admission of air to said cylinder from said source is prevented to a lowered position wherein said source and cylinder are in communication with each other, and pneumatically operable means for restoring said control knob to its raised position when said piston is moved to its advanced position.

16. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of flat articles into open-ended envelopes, the combination set forth in claim 13 including, additionally, a control knob for said valve movable from a raised position wherein admission of air to said cylinder from said source is prevented to a lowered position wherein said source and cylinder are in operative communication, and pneumatiof said piston after initial displacement thereof from itsretracted position.

17. In an apparatus for facilitating insertion of flat articles into open-ended envelopes, the combination set forth in claim 13 including, additionally, a control knob for said valve movable from a raised positionwherein admission of air to said cylinder from said source is prevented to a lowered position wherein said source and cylinder are in operative communication pneumatically operable means for restoring said control knob to its raised position under the control of the movement of said piston after initial displacement thereof from its retracted position, and pneumatically operable cushioning means for dampening the return stroke of the piston from its advanced position to its retracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 997,145 Lines. July 4, 1911 

